Two of the biggest trend setters of the fashion world Femina Miss India and Pantaloons, have joined hands to unearth the most potent combination of beauty and brains in India. ‘The 44th Femina Miss India Pageant’ has started its search for icons, who will represent India at international pageants such as Miss Universe, Miss World and Miss Asia Pacific, this year.

Elated with the partnership with Femina Miss India, Kishore Biyani, Managing Director, Pantaloon Retail (India) Limited said, “The new Indian woman is conscious of her image, her fashion, as well as her abilities, and is playing a larger role in the society today. We feel that both Pantaloons and Femina are both, strong brands, catering to the needs and aspirations of this woman. Pantaloons, has therefore decided to be associated with the Femina Miss India pageant.”

Speaking on the occasion, Vineet Jain, Managing Director, Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd. said, “Over the years Femina Miss India has been the platform for Indian beauties to enter the world of fashion and glamour. We are delighted to enter the 44th year of Femina Miss India in partnership with Pantaloons. We are sure that this association will take the pageant to newer heights.”

Sanjeev Agrawal, President Marketing Pantaloon Retail (India) Limited said, “As Pantaloons stands for fresh fashion and Femina Miss India promotes fresh talent, our association is just the right fit. Together Pantaloons & Femina Miss India will groom fresh faces of India, who will take on the world.”

Said Munish Purii, National Director, Femina Miss India, “Our partnership with Pantaloons heralds a new chapter in the burgeoning Indian fashion and glamour industry. This association takes the pageant to the next level by showcasing the talent of Indian women globally.”

With a strong 44 year old legacy, Femina Miss India is the oldest and the most credible beauty pageant in India. Since it first began, the Femina Miss India pageant has changed considerably. The focus has shifted from finding the prettiest face in the country to fining a set of women having the level of finesse and class required to compete internationally.

India’s most exhilarating beauty event calls for unmarried girls in the age group of 18 to 25 (as on Jan 31, 2007) to live their dream of a sparkling career in the field of fashion and provides them a stepping stone to international recognition.

Entries close on March 4, 2007.

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About Pantaloon Retail (India) Limited

Pantaloon Retail (India) Limited is a leading retailer with a turnover of Rs. 2,019 crore for the financial year 2005-06. Headquartered in Mumbai, the company operates through primarily the ‘Lifestyle’ and ‘Value’ formats through multiple delivery mechanisms and lines of business — some of them being, fashion, food, general merchandise, home, leisure and entertainment, financial services, communications and wellness.

The company has about 140 stores in over 32 cities across the country, constituting 4 million square feet of retail space. The company caters to the ‘Lifestyle’ segment through its Pantaloons Stores and Central Malls, as well as its other concepts. In ‘Value’ retailing it is present through Big Bazaar hypermarkets, Food Bazaars and Fashion Stations, and other delivery formats.

About Future Group

Future Group is positioned to cater to the entire Indian consumption space. It operates through six verticals: Future Retail (encompassing all lines of retail business), Future Capital (financial products and services), Future Brands (all brands owned or managed by group companies), Future Space (management of retail real estate), Future Logistics (management of supply chain and distribution) and Future Media (development and management of retail media spaces).

The group's flagship enterprise, Pantaloon Retail, is India's leading retail company with presence in food, fashion and footwear, home solutions and consumer electronics, books and music, health, wellness and beauty, general merchandise, communication products, E-tailing and leisure and entertainment.

Future Group's vision is to, “deliver Everything, Everywhere, Every time to Every Indian Consumer in the most profitable manner.” One of the core values at Future Group is, ‘Indianness' and its corporate credo is – Rewrite Rules, Retain Values.